Fingerprint image acquisition apparatus and method thereof

Abstract

A fingerprint image acquisition apparatus of the present invention includes fingerprint sensing device unit, a CCD device unit, and an image processing unit, the image processing unit comprising: an A/D converting unit for converting and outputting the fingerprint image outputted from the CCD device unit into a digital signal; an image buffer for storing the digital signal from the A/D converting unit; a controller for watching a state of the image buffer, i.e., whether the fingerprint image is inputted and stored to the image buffer, and storing the fingerprint image to a video memory if the storage of the fingerprint image is confirmed; a process executed by the controller, for dividing the fingerprint image into a plurality of unit blocks with a predetermined size; and a process executed by the controller, for dividing the fingerprint image as a center region and a peripheral region, each including a predetermined number of unit blocks, and subdividing the unit block of the center region into at least two or more subdivided blocks.

1. A fingerprint image acquisition apparatus including a fingerprint sensing device unit, a CCD device unit, and an image processing unit, the image processing unit comprising:
 an A/D converting unit for converting and outputting the fingerprint image outputted from the CCD device unit into a digital signal; 
 an image buffer for storing the digital signal from the A/D converting unit; and 
 a controller for watching a state of the image buffer to determine whether the fingerprint image is inputted and stored to the image buffer, and for storing the fingerprint image to a video memory if the storage of the fingerprint image is confirmed, wherein the controller is configured to:
 execute a process for dividing the fingerprint image into a plurality of unit blocks with a predetermined size; and 
 execute a process for dividing the fingerprint image into a center region and a peripheral region, each including a predetermined number of unit blocks, and for subdividing each unit block of only the center region into at least two subdivided blocks. 
 
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to divide the fingerprint image into 48 unit blocks in a 6×8 matrix. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the center region is set into at least one region. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the center region comprises a second center region in which the first unit block row and the last unit block row among the section of set subdivided blocks are set and a first center region in which the remaining subdivided unit blocks are set. 
   
   
     5. A fingerprint image acquisition apparatus including a fingerprint sensing device unit, a CCD device unit, and an image processing unit, the image processing unit comprising:
 an A/D converting unit for converting and outputting the fingerprint image outputted from the CCD device unit into a digital signal; 
 an image buffer for storing the digital signal from the A/D converting unit; and 
 a controller for watching a state of the image buffer to determine whether the fingerprint image is inputted and stored to the image buffer, and for storing the fingerprint image to a video memory if the storage of the fingerprint image is confirmed, wherein the controller is configured to:
 execute a process for setting a size of the fingerprint image frame; 
 execute a process for dividing the fingerprint image into a plurality of unit blocks with a predetermind size; 
 execute a process for setting a section of predetermined subdivided blocks; 
 execute a process for dividing the fingerprint image into a predetermined number of center regions, wherein each center region includes a predetermined number of the subdivided unit blocks; and 
 execute a process for dividing the fingerprint image into a peripheral region including a predetermined number of non-subdivided unit blocks. 
 
 
   
   
     6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is also configured to divide only the unit blocks in a center region into at least two or more subdivided blocks. 
   
   
     7. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the center region is set into at least one region. 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the center region comprises a second center region in which the first unit block row and the last unit block row among the section of set subdivided blocks are set and a first center region in which the remaining subdivided unit blocks are set. 
   
   
     9. A fingerprint image acquisition method comprising the steps of:
 confirming whether the fingerprint image generated by contacting a finger on a surface of a fingerprint sensing device unit is inputted and stored to an image buffer; 
 dividing the fingerprint image into a predetermined number of unit blocks if it is confirmed that the fingerprint image is stored to the image buffer; 
 setting the divided fingerprint image into a center region and a peripheral region, each region having a predetermined number of unit blocks, and subdividing the respective unit blocks of only the center region into a predetermined number of subdivided blocks; thereby obtaining the differentiated images at the center region and the peripheral region. 
 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein each unit block of the center region of the fingerprint image is divided into at least two or more subdivided blocks. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the center region is set as at least one or more region. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the center region comprises a second center region in which the first unit block row and the last unit block row among the section of set subdivided blocks are set and a first center region in which the remaining subdivided unit blocks are set. 
   
   
     13. A fingerprint image acquisition method comprising the steps of:
 confirming whether a fingerprint image generated by contacting a finger on a surface of a fingerprint sensing device unit is inputted and stored to an image buffer; 
 setting a size of a fingerprint image frame if it is confirmed that the fingerprint image is stored to the image buffer; 
 dividing the fingerprint image into a plurality of unit blocks with a predetermined size; 
 setting a predetermined subdivided block section; 
 dividing the fingerprint image into a predetermined size of center region including a predetermined number of subdivided unit blocks; 
 dividing the fingerprint image into a peripheral region including a predetermined number of unit blocks that are not subdivided. 
 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein each unit block of the center region of the fingerprint image is divided into at least two or more subdivided blocks. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the center region is set as at least one or more region. 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the center region comprises a second center region in which the first unit block row and the last unit block row among the section of set subdivided blocks are set and a first center region in which the remaining subdivided unit blocks are set.